It was the summer in 2012, and Rebecca Bailey knew something was terribly
wrong.

Bailey, who worked in a group home providing care for the mentally
challenged, had been experiencing excruciating headaches, tremors, memory
loss, and incontinence. “I was gradually losing control of my body and I
didn’t know why,” she recalls. “There were days when I could barely hold my
head up. I looked like a bobblehead doll.”

One night, after dropping a full pan of spaghetti on the kitchen floor,
Bailey was rushed to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed a birth defect in her
brain stem and performed emergency surgery, removing fluid on her brain and
correcting a life-threatening blockage

“Most people make it through life without ever seeing pictures of their
brains,” says Bailey, now 46. “But within a period of a few months, I saw
dozens of photos of mine—everything from x-rays to brains scans and MRI
images.”

As she recovered from the surgery, Bailey had plenty of time to reflect on
her life—and on all of the things she wished were different. She felt like
she was being given a second chance, and she was determined to make it
count.

“It occurred to me that I had a pretty resilient brain,” says Bailey, who
lives in Elwood City, Pennsylvania. “After racking up $110,000 in medical
bills, I remember thinking it was time to see how far my expensive brain
could take me.”

Motivated by a desire to better understand some of the things that have
happened in her life—and her reactions to them—she decided to return to
college after 20 years to pursue her degree in Psychology at Argosy
University.

“I wanted to earn a degree that would allow me to improve my own life—and
to help others improve theirs,” she explains. “I’ve experienced a lot of
pain and seen a lot of destruction in my life. I have family members who
have struggled with everything from alcoholism to heroin addiction. I spent
years hiding my son from his father, who had serious substance abuse
issues. Two of my son’s childhood friends and a family member have died
from opioid addiction Deciding to go back to college gave me a sense of
hope at a time when hope was in short supply.”

Bailey was accepted into the Psychology program at Argosy University,
Online Programs and started classes in December of 2014.

“At first, I was intimidated,” she remembers. “My computer skills were
pretty much nonexistent, and it had been a long time since I first attended
college. I was also working full time during my first year at Argosy. But I
had a strong desire to improve my life. I enrolled in the online program
because I wanted plenty of flexibility. It took a while to develop good
study habits and learn how to keep distractions to a minimum.”

Bailey was on track and thriving when, in May of 2016, she received another
jarring health diagnosis: breast cancer. A lumpectomy, radiation, and
chemotherapy followed, as did an infection in her lymph nodes. Bailey says
the moral support she received throughout the ordeal from her Argosy
success advisor, Jennifer Rauch, and her financial aid counselor, Morgan
Gilbert, lifted her spirits and reminded her to stay focused on the future.

“When I began the online program, I was concerned that I’d feel isolated
and alone,” says Bailey. “But Jennifer was always there for me, especially
when I was dealing with my cancer diagnosis. She had been my success
advisor for two and a half years at that point, but we didn’t actually meet
face to face until we had lunch in Pittsburgh the day of my first chemo
treatment. She listened as I cried, and she encouraged me to take advantage
of Argosy’s counseling services. I also got to meet Morgan, who helped
provide a real sense of comfort throughout the chaos. The treatment took a
lot out of me, and Morgan reminded me how strong I really was.”

Bailey says her faith and the support of her three children (Collin, Will
and Jordyn) kept her motivated to stay focused on her education. In
December, 2017, Bailey earned her BA in Psychology (with a concentration in
Substance Abuse)—with a 3.7 GPA. She just landed a job in insurance sales
and will continue volunteering through her church, providing support
services to the homeless. With the help of her degree, Bailey also has a paid internship lined up at Beckley Comprehensive Treatment Center in Beaver, West Virginia. She will be coached on how to help individuals overcome substance dependency, as well as how to conduct group and individual counseling there.

Bailey recently spoke in front of the Argosy University, Online Programs
staff in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She shared her story told here, and
delivered a heartfelt 'thank you' to her personal Argosy University, Online
Programs advisor's who were in the room. She brought everyone in the room
to tears, as well as displayed a real-life example of an online student
with her story, hurdles, tragedy, and current successes. She showed a real
purpose and live motivation for what Argosy advisors do daily.

“I feel like the past six years have really tested me—and I passed,” says
Bailey. “If I can make it through everything that’s happened in my life so
far, I feel like I’m ready for anything.” ###

Pictured: Rebecca with her advisors and Rebecca speaking at Argosy University, Online Programs on 2/1/18.